We will covering Timmy Megenbier, the 2009 Jetta TDI Cup Champion, as he moves on to race overseas in this new series. The Scirocco R-Cup car delivers 225hp but also has an additional 50hp utilizing a push-to-pass button. Cool but also odd in that it can make a passing maneuver null as your opponent can use his too. So why not just race as is? Look for our full coverage next weekend.
The world’s most eco-conscious one-make cup is making its racing debut: on 23 and 24 April the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup season will open at the Hockenheimring, with key features like 80 per cent less CO2, 100 per cent racing, 25 ambitious entrants in the Junior, Pro and Legend Cup – and, of course, the thrill of being the first winner in the bio natural gas-powered Cup Scirocco that delivers p to 275 hp of power. In the 2010 season a total of nine races at seven events are on the Scirocco R-Cup calendar but the first one offers the drivers the best opportunity to make history.
“With the Scirocco R-Cup Volkswagen rings in a new one-make cup era,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. “We are realising innovative ideas of an eco-conscious powertrain, other innovative technologies and new sporting concepts in the Cup. At Hockenheim, young talents will meet with seasoned pros and true motorsport legends. That’s the attraction of the Scirocco R-Cup. I’m sure that the season opener will mark a successful start to this trend-setting one-make cup.”
Bio natural gas and push-to-pass: innovative concepts start together
The renewable fuel, bio natural gas, powers the Scirocco R-Cup. It is fully produced from bio mass or renewable resources. Its carbon footprint with respect to production and logistics is neutral and during the combustion process bio natural gas enormously reduces carbon dioxide emissions. Thanks to bio natural gas the Cup Scirocco emits at least 80 per cent less CO2 – compared with conventional fuels for spark ignition engines, and without sacrificing power output. The two-litre engine delivers 165 kW (225 hp) and the drivers can draw on an additional 37 kW (50 hp) thanks to another innovation used in the Scirocco R-Cup: on the driver’s command the push-to-pass system increases the boost pressure of the turbocharged engine for a short time, which is strictly limited. The drivers use the system for tactical purposes by pushing a button on the sport steering wheel of the Cup Scirocco. On the one hand, this enables them to initiate overtaking manoeuvres and on the other to prevent them.
225 plus 50, 20 plus 5: the sporting mix of the Scirocco R-Cup
In addition to the push-to-pass system, the composition of the field of entrants promises to deliver thrilling racing action. Young talents who compete according to the successful concept of the “touring car school” meet with seasoned one-make cup campaigners. Junior drivers like Jann-Hendrik Ubben (D) or Isabelle Biela (CZ) compete with Cup champions like Maciek Steinhof (PL) or Timmy Megenbier (USA). Steinhof triumphed in the 2009 Polo Cup, Megenbier in the American Jetta TDI Cup. The entrants registered in the Junior Cup and Pro Cup classifications will also run against the guest entrants of the Legend Cup. Five prominent drivers, respectively, will contest the nine races of the Scirocco R-Cup season.
The entrants from eight nations extensively tested their new sporting equipment and the new push-to-pass function, completed starting exercises and also received theoretical instructions at the introductory training course at Oschersleben on Wednesday and Thursday. “I’m starting to the new season highly motivated,” says Maciek Steinhof, the last champion of the Polo Cup era. “Every racer aims to win in every race. But the Scirocco R-Cup season opener offers an extra dose of ambition, particularly because here you meet with juniors, pros and legends.”
Timetable, Hockenheimring
Friday, 23 April 2010
09.00–11.45 Formula 3 Euro Series, Test (165 min)
14.30–15.00 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, Free practice (30 min)
17.05–17.35 Formula 3 Euro Series, Qualifying (30 min)
Saturday, 24 April 2010
11.25–11.55 Formula 3 Euro Series, Race 1 (18 laps = 82.332 km)
12.10–12.40 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, Qualifying (30 min)
17.10–17.40 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, Race (11 laps = 50.314 km)
Sunday, 25 April 2010
11.25–12.05 Formula 3 Euro Series, Race 2 (25 laps = 114.350 km)
TV Schedule, Hockenheimring
Saturday, 24 April 2010
11.20–12.00 n-tv, F3ES race 1 (live)
17.15–17.30 Sport1, Scirocco R-Cup (start live)
18.15–19.15 Sport1, Scirocco R-Cup (re-live)
19.15–20.00 Sport1, F3ES race 1 (summary)
Sunday, 25 April 2010
11.20–12.00 n-tv F3ES race 2 (live)
21.00–22.00 Sport 1, DTM-Magazin with F3ES and Scirocco R-Cup
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
16.10–16.40 n-tv, PS – Spezial with F3ES and Scirocco R-Cup
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
00.30–00.50 n-tv, PS – Spezial with F3ES and Scirocco R-Cup (repeat)
23.15–24.00 Sport 1, Motodrom with F3ES and Scirocco R-Cup
Sunday, 02 May 2010
12.00–13.00 DMAX, DTM-Magazin with F3ES and Scirocco R-Cup
- Volkswagen Motorsport
